JAPAN 
WONDERS 
WHY 


A Challenging  Chapter 
in  American  Japanese 
Relations 


By 

William  Axling 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/japanwonderswhyOOaxli 


JAPAN  WONDERS  WHY? 


By 

William  Axling 

Author  of 

“Japan  on  the  Upward  Trail” 
and 

“On  the  Trail  of  the  Truth  About  Japan” 


Commission  on  International  Justice  and  Goodwill 

of  the 

Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America 


105  East  22nd  Street 
New  York 


CONTENTS 


Introductory  Note 
Foreword 
Eight  Basic  Facts 
From  Places  of  Power 
ICey  Men  Among  Many 
The  Courts  of  Culture 
The  World  of  Commerce 
Christian  Circles 
Lay  Leaders  of  the  Church 
An  Interpretation 
Facing  the  Future 


2 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 


The  author,  Dr.  Axling,  has  for  more  than  a score 
of  years  heen  a distinguished  member  of  the  Mis- 
sion in  Japan  of  the  Baptist  Churches  of  America.  His 
exceptional  command  of  the  language,  his  unusual  per- 
sonal contacts  through  his  “social  center”  in  the  Misaki 
Tabernacle  in  the  heart  of  Tokyo,  his  friendly  relations 
with  men  of  all  classes, — ^students,  traders,  teachers,  offi- 
cials, financiers  and  statesmen, — ^his  sympathetic  knowl- 
edge of  Japan’s  problems  and  his  insight  into  the  better 
life  and  nobler  aspirations  of  that  virile,  old-new  Yamato 
race,  render  him  an  invaluable  interpreter  to  America  of 
that  remarkable  people  of  the  Far  East. 

The  writer  of  this  note  bespeaks  thoughtful  atten- 
tion to  this  testimony  from  Japan. 

John  H.  Finley,  Chairman, 

Commission  on  International  Justice  and  Goodwill, 
Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America. 

July,  1924, 

New  York,  N.  Y. 


3 


FOREWORD 


Fkiendship  can  flourish  only  in  an  atmosphere  of 
frank  interchange  of  thought.  In  this  brochure 
Japan  lays  bare  her  heart  on  a momentous  issue.  The 
passion  of  the  partisan  and  the  purpose  of  the  propagan- 
dist are  absent  from  these  utterances.  Those  whose 
thoughts  are  made  vocal  through  these  pages,  in  the 
quiet  of  their  homes,  or  in  an  inner  chamber,  were  speak- 
ing as  friend  to  friend. 

Every  question  has  two  angles.  This  pamphlet  does 
not  pretend  to  be  a comprehensive  treatment  of  the  prob- 
lem of  Japanese  Exclusion.  The  views  of  the  exclusion- 
ists  have  been  broadcast  over  sea  and  land.  They  are 
well  known.  Few,  however,  have  had  an  opportunity  to 
listen  in  when  Japan  has  spoken. 

The  writer  believes  that  multitudes  of  loyal  Ameri- 
cans are  big  enough  and  broad  enough  to  want  to  look  at 
this  question  from  Japan’s  point  of  view  as  well  as  from 
America’s  angle.  Here,  in  concise  form,  Japan’s  view- 
point is  presented.  It  is  a cross-section  of  the  troubled 
thought  of  the  Japanese  people  on  a question  that  has 
stirred  them  as  nothing  has  since  the  day  when  Commo- 
dore Perry  forced  them  to  abandon  their  policy  of  exclu- 
sion. It  is  a strange  and  sad  paradox  that  the  nation 
which  seventy-one  years  ago  forced  open  Japan’s  closed 
door  should  now  so  rigidly  close  its  own  door  against  her. 

To  Aonericans  who  are  internationally  minded  and 
jealous  of  America’s  fame  and  fair  name  among  the  na- 
tions, this  material  does  not  make  pleasant  reading.  The 
writer  releases  it,  however,  for  men  and  women  of 
understanding  hearts  and  in  the  interest  of  fair  play. 


4 


EIGHT  BASIC  FACTS 


This  whole  issue  has  been  befogged  and  its  consid- 
eration prejudiced  by  faneies,  half-facts,  and  false- 
hoods. No  one  eneumbered  with  this  mental  rubbish  can 
get  Japan’s  viewpoint.  Right  here,  therefore,  eight 
fundamental  facts  must  be  fairly  faced. 

1.  Japan  has  no  immigration  exclusion  law,  American 
exclusion  agitators  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  She 
does  not  exclude  any  race  or  any  people.  She  does  not 
exclude  the  Chinese  or  the  Koreans.  In  1899  the  trea- 
ties between  Japan  and  the  world  powers  were  revised. 
On  the  one  hand  the  restrictions  as  to  travel  and  resi- 
dence in  Japan  for  citizens  of  the  signatory  powers  were 
abolished.  On  the  other  hand  nationals  of  these  powers 
and  also  of  all  other  nations  came  under  the  jurisdietion 
of  the  Japanese  courts. 

Inasmuch  as  all  nations  still  insisted  on  extra-terri- 
toriality in  China,  this  nation  did  not  come  in  under  the 
general  treaty  revision  of  1899.  The  Chinese  in  Japan 
were  thus  left  under  the  old  system,  and  their  residence 
and  travel  in  Japan  were  restricted  to  designated  treaty 
ports.  To  alleviate  this  situation  Japan  went  beyond 
the  requirements  of  her  treaty  obligations  with  China 
and  issued  an  Imperial  Ordinance  granting  the  Chinese, 
also,  unrestricted  residence  and  travel  privileges  within 
the  Japanese  Empire.  This  is  not  discrimination.  It  is 
voluntary  elimination  of  discrimination.  In  doing  this, 
however,  she  stipulated  that  certain  labor  classes  should 


5 


apply  for  permission  before  entering.  The  gi-anting  or 
refusal  of  such  permission  is  left  to  local  authorities. 
This  is  not  exclusion,  it  is  limitation. 

Korea  is  now  a part  of  the  Japanese  Empire.  The 
Koreans  in  their  travel  and  residence  are  subject  only 
to  rules  and  regulations  common  to  all  citizens  of  J apan. 
As  a matter  of  fact,  tens  of  thousands  of  Korean  work- 
ing folk  are  scattered  throughout  different  sections  of 
Japan  proper.  Their  number  has  increased  very  greatly 
within  recent  years. 

2.  An  American  or  any  other  national  may  become 
a naturalized  citizen  of  the  Japanese  Empire.  Natu- 
rally, like  every  other  nation,  Japan  reserves  the  right 
to  accept  or  reject  an  applicant  for  naturalization  if  he 
fails  to  come  up  to  certain  stipulated  tests.  These  tests 
are  personal,  not  racial ; they  are  not  discriminatory.  The 
writer  knows  of  both  Occidentals  and  Orientals  who  are 
naturalized  Japanese  subjects. 

3.  Japan  is  not  asking  for  the  open  door  for  her  emi- 
grants. Seventeen  years  ago,  when  she  signed  the  “Gen- 
tlemen’s Agreement,”  she  accepted  the  principle  of  self- 
imposed  limitation,  a limitation  that  was  next  neighbor 
to  exclusion  and  has  been  drastically  applied.  So  high 
and  well-informed  an  authority  as  the  State  Department 
of  the  American  Government  vouches  for  Japan’s  faith- 
ful adherence  to  this  “Agreement”  during  the  past  seven- 
teen years. 

The  “Gentlemen’s  Agreement”  was  instituted  for  the 
purpose  of  stopping  the  immigration  of  Japanese  male 
labor.  The  following  figures  indicate  that  it  functioned 
with  signal  success.  During  sixteen  years  (1908-1923), 
the  net  increase  through  immigration  into  Continental 


6 


United  States  of  foreign-born  Japanese  was  only  8,681. 
In  seven  of  those  years  more  Japanese  left  America  than 
entered.  The  net  results  of  the  working  of  the  “Agree- 
ment” were  the  departure  from  America  (including  Ha- 
waii) of  22,737  Japanese  men. 

The  Prime  Minister,  the  Foreign  Minister,  a large 
group  of  the  nation’s  outstanding  leaders,  and  men  of 
humble  estate  have  assured  the  writer  that  they  recognize 
that  the  inflow  of  any  large  number  of  their  nationals  to 
this  land  will  only  breed  problems  and  create  difficult 
situations. 

4.  The  granting  to  Japan  of  a two  percent,  quota, 
placing  her  on  a par  with  other  nations,  would  have  satis- 
fied 55,000,000  Japanese.  This  would  have  meant  prac- 
tical exclusion,  since  only  146  immigrants  could  have  en- 
tered each  year  under  this  limit.  It  is  the  sting  and  the 
shame  of  being  discriminated  against  on  racial  grounds 
that  has  cut  a slashing  wound  down  deep  into  the  heart 
of  this  sensitive,  forward-looking  people. 

Japan  feels  that  this  exclusion  measure,  based  on 
racial  discrimination,  challenges  her  civilization.  It  chal- 
lenges the  splendid  progress  which  she  has  made  during 
the  past  seventy  years.  It  challenges  her  place  as  a 
world  power.  It  challenges  the  inherent  worth  of  her 
people,  brands  them  before  the  world  as  a race  of  unde- 
sirables, and  stigmatizes  them  as  unworthy  to  stand  side 
by  side  with  the  peoples  of  the  West.  The  Japanese 
people  feel  that,  in  this  sort  of  a solution  of  a wholly 
domestic  problem,  America  has  undermined  their  na- 
tion’s prestige  both  in  the  Orient  and  in  the  inter- 
national arena. 

5.  Japan  recognizes  that  the  question  of  immigra- 

7 


tion  is  entirely  a domestic  problem  for  the  United  States. 
She  readily  acknowledges  that  America  has  the  right  to 
pass  any  kind  of  legislation  which  she  may  deem  neces- 
sary, covering  this  field.  She  puts  the  whole  question 
on  the  high  ground  of  courtesy,  consideration  and  inter- 
national comity.  She  rests  her  case  on  the  American’s 
fine  sense  of  justice  and  fair  play. 

6.  Americans  in  Japan  and  any  other  nationals  may, 
in  case  of  corporations,  buy,  and,  in  case  of  individuals, 
lease  for  a long  term  of  years,  even  999  years  if  desired, 
any  amount  of  land,  for  any  purpose,  that  they  may 
desire.  Much  valuable  land  is  at  present  held  in  this 
way  by  foreigners  in  Japan. 

Moreover,  the  government  has  drawn  up  a bill,  which 
it  is  introducing  into  the  next  session  of  the  Diet,  giving 
nationals  from  such  nations  as  grant  the  right  of  land 
ownership  to  Japanese,  the  reciprocal  privilege  in  Japan. 

7.  The  much  discussed  Dual  Citizenship  law  of  Ja- 
pan, by  which  Japanese  born  in  foreign  lands  are  held 
as  Japanese  subjects  until  they  apply  for  and  are  grant- 
ed release  by  the  Japanese  Government,  is  not  a law 
peculiar  to  Japan.  Every  nation  has  a similar  law,  in- 
cluding the  United  States.  Children  of  American  par- 
ents born  in  Japan  are  American  citizens  and  must  be 
registered  in  an  American  Consulate.  'The  peculiarity 
of  the  situation  creating  this  dual  citizenship  is  the  fact 
that  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  confers  citi- 
zenship on  all  children  born  in  the  United  States,  regard- 
less of  the  nationality  of  their  parents.  Japanese  chil- 
dren born  in  the  United  States  are  therefore  American 
citizens  by  American  law  and  at  the  same  time  Japa- 
nese citizens  by  Japanese  law. 


8 


Here  again,  however,  the  Japanese  Government  is 
not  facing  backward.  It  has  a bill  ready  for  the  Diet, 
revising  this  law  so  as  to  do  away  with  the  evils  of  dual 
citizenship.  In  this  Japan  is  proposing  to  go  further 
than  any  European  Government  has  gone.* 

8.  There  has  been  a close  succession  of  Japan-wound- 
ing acts  on  this  side  of  the  Pacific,  which  have  been  acid 
tests  of  that  nation’s  friendship  for  America.  The  first 
was  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  declaring  the 
Japanese  people  ineligible  to  American  citizenship 
(November,  1922).  The  second  was  the  pronounce- 
ment by  this  same  body  declaring  the  Anti- Alien  Land 
Laws  of  the  Pacific  Coast  States  constitutional  (No- 
vember, 1923).  Through  this  latter  decision  thousands 
of  Japanese  residents  on  the  Pacific  Coast  suffered 
serious  hardships,  and  many  were  compelled  either  to 
return  to  Japan  or  to  seek  a new  location  in  the  United 
States.  Probably  as  many  as  50,000  out  of  the  111,000 
Japanese  living  in  the  United  States  were  directly  or  in- 
directly affected  by  this  Supreme  Court  decision. 

Then  came  the  Exclusion  Law  (June,  1924),  as  a 
climactic  crucifixion  of  Japan’s  national  pride  and  sus- 
ceptibility. The  disillusionment  and  disappointment 
have  been  accumulative.  Many  a thoughtful  Japanese 
has  been  driven  to  wonder  if  there  is  a conspiracy  in 
America  to  crush  Japan  while  she  is  down  and  to  enforce 
America’s  will  upon  her  before  she  can  recover  from  the 
earthquake’s  knockout  blow. 

* Just  as  this  pamphlet  goes  to  press  a cable  report  from  Tokyo  an- 
nounces the  passage  by  both  houses  of  the  Japanese  Diet  of  the  new  ex- 
patriation law,  which  provides  that  Japanese  bom  in  foreign  countries  where 
birth  gives  nationality  shall  lose  their  Japanese  nationality  from  birth  unless 
formal  action  be  taken  to  preserve  their  rights  to  Japanese  citizenship. 


9 


FROM  PLACES  OF  POWER 


IS  Excellency  Viscount  Kiyoura^  at  that  time 


n Prime  Minister  of  the  Japanese  Empire,  in  dis- 
cussing the  situation  created  by  America’s  Exclusion 
Legislation,  said  to  the  writer: 

“The  Japanese  emigrants  are  often  ignorant,  they 
lack  material  resources  and  do  not  assimilate  easily,  and 
thus  doubtless  they  furnish  some  reason  for  the  desire 
to  shut  them  out.  At  all  events,  Japan  has  no  desire 
to  enter  a large  number  of  her  emigrants  into  the  United 
States.  All  that  she  asks  is  treatment,  for  her  nationals 
already  residents  on  American  soil,  on  a par  with  that 
granted  to  aliens  from  other  lands. 

“I  cannot  but  feel  that  America  has  gone  astray 
in  the  matter  of  this  exclusion  legislation.  The  sense 
of  self-respect  bulks  large  in  the  make-up  of  the  Japa- 
nese people,  and  this  makes  discrimination  hurt.  If  it 
came  from  a second  rate  nation  the  sting  would  not  be 
so  strong,  but  coming  from  America,  the  land  of  justice 
and  idealism,  the  blow  is  staggering. 

“The  government  will  do  all  in  its  power  to  pre- 
vent a popular  outburst.  The  people  however  are 
deeply  moved.  Their  sentiments  on  this  matter  cannot 
be  controlled  by  Governmental  authority.  It  is  this 
undermining  of  the  feeling  of  friendship  and  goodwill 
on  the  part  of  the  people  which  will  result  in  the  crea- 
tion of  a difficult  situation  between  the  two  nations. 

“While  I recognize  that  the  question  of  immigration 


10 


in  itself  is  entirely  domestic  in  its  nature  and  can  in  no 
sense  be  considered  an  international  problem,  yet  I ven- 
ture to  suggest  that  a Joint  High  Coimmission  composed 
of  outstanding  representatives  from  both  nations  could 
render  an  incalculable  service  in  paving  the  way  for  a 
happy  solution  of  all  questions  pending  between  our  re- 
spective nations. 

“The  time  is  past  for  war  and  the  sword  to  settle 
questions  between  nations.  The  Washington  Confer- 
ence and  the  World  Court  of  Justice  indicate  that  a new 
day  has  dawned  in  the  international  arena.  The  time 
has  come  for  conference  and  mutual  concession,  for  rea- 
son and  right  to  rule  between  nations  as  well  as  between 
individuals.  If  America  and  Japan  can  see  things  eye 
to  eye,  the  waves  of  the  Pacific  will  remain  peaceful, 
and  these  two  nations  will  be  able  to  outlaw  war  from 
this  vast  stretch  of  the  world’s  area. 

“Material  civilization  has  weakened  the  fine  sense 
of  justice  and  right  in  every  land.  Religion  is  the 
world’s  only  hope.  At  such  times  as  this  only  the  Chris- 
tian Church  can  awaken  the  Christian  conscience  and 
win  the  nation  back.  I still  believe  that  the  American 
people  will  make  this  thing  right.  The  nation  which 
produced  Washington  cannot  go  irrevocably  astray. 
Sooner  or  later  its  sense  of  justice  and  fair  play  will 
prevail  and  the  right  thing  will  be  done.” 

Baron  K.  Matsui,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs, 
opened  his  heart  in  the  following  manner: 

“The  effect  of  this  Exclusion  Law  will  be  an  ever- 
growing and  deepening  resentment,  all  along  the  way 
of  the  future.  Petty  incidents  will  keep  irritating  the 
relationship  of  the  two  nations.  Small  matters  will  take 


11 


on  large  proportions  in  the  thinking  and  feeling  of  the 
people.  Harmony  and  goodwill  will  be  handicapped. 
Friction  and  misunderstanding  will  be  made  easy. 

“Personally,  I believe  it  wise  and  desirable  to  con- 
tinue the  policy  of  the  retrenchment  of  armament  and 
to  extend  the  scope  and  the  time  of  the  treaties  of  the 
Washington  Conference.  If,  however,  American- Jap- 
anese relations  are  not  harmonious,  this  is  going  to  be 
exceedingly  difficult.  Already  Japanese  are  saying, 
‘We  signed  the  Washington  Conference  Treaties,  drawn 
up  largely  under  America’s  leadership,  in  the  hope  that 
anti-Japanese  agitation  would  cease.  What  was  the 
use  ? Look  at  the  result ! The  agitation  went  on  apace 
and  issued  in  an  Exclusion  Law.’ 

“There  is  no  East  and  there  is  no  West  today.  Com- 
merce and  communication  have  broken  down  the  bar- 
riers. The  world  is  coming  together.  It  is  not  growing 
apart.  The  world  is  one.  The  Occident  and  the  Orient 
must  stand  or  fall  together.  The  White  Man  and  the 
Yellow  Man  must  join  hands  and  march  out  together 
into  a greater  and  more  glorious  future,  or  else  go  down 
to  doom  together.  There  is  no  other  choice. 

“I  can  only  express  my  sincere  hope  that  what  your 
great  Lincoln  said  is  true,  ‘Nothing  is  settled  until  it  is 
settled  right,’  and  that  America  will  do  the  right  thing 
in  regard  to  this  immigration  question  and  the  treatment 
of  our  people  resident  within  her  borders. 

“Unfortunately  the  great  Christian  principles  are 
not  often  observed  by  all  the  people  or  by  a nation  as 
a whole.  Why  is  it  that  the  Christian  nations  so  often 
fall  down  on  these  great  Christian  principles  when  it 
comes  to  a crisis?” 


12 


Prince  I.  Tokugawa^  President  of  the  House  of 
Peers  and  one  of  the  foremost  leaders  in  all  phases  of 
Japan’s  life,  expressed  himself  in  the  following  re- 
strained manner : 

“I  can  only  hope  that  the  good  relations  between 
America  and  our  country,  which  have  been  so  friendly, 
may  continue,  and  that  the  immigration  question  may 
be  happily  solved.  In  this  I trust  that  the  great  effort 
of  your  President  may  be  successful.” 

Viscount  K.  EIaneko,  Member  of  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil land  therefore  one  of  the  immediate  advisers  of  the 
Throne,  who  spent  the  years  of  his  youth  in  America, 
a graduate  of  Harvard  University  and  a friend  of 
Roosevelt,  said: 

“I  feel  more  pained  than  you  ever  can  over  the  ac- 
tion of  your  Congress.  We  can  bear  an  attack  by  an 
enemy,  but  it  is  hard  to  endure  when  betrayed  by  one 
whom  we  have  always  thought  of  as  our  sincere  friend. 

“However,  I know  that  the  America  of  today  is  not 
what  it  used  to  be  when  I spent  many  happy  hours  with 
Longfellow,  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  Speaker  Win- 
throp,  John  Fiske,  Edward  Everett  Hale,  Bishop  Pot- 
ter and  many  others.  I am  sorry  that  the  principle  of 
Christian  Brotherhood  no  longer  sways  the  minds  of 
American  politicians. 

“Should  the  discriminatory  clause  in  the  present  Im- 
migration Bill  be  enacted,  it  will  do  great  damage  to  the 
peaceful  relations  between  Japan  and  America. 

“Equal  treatment  is  the  mother  of  friendship.  If 
we  Japanese  are  discriminated  against  as  an  undesirable 
race,  how  can  we  cultivate  and  maintain  a sincere  friend- 
ship for  America?” 


13 


KEY  MEN  AMONG  MANY 


VISCOUNT  E.  ShibusawAj  often  called  the  J.  Pier- 
pont  Morgan  of  Ja,pan,  as  often  affectionately 
designated  the  Grand  Old  Man  of  the  Empire,  a man 
who  has  poured  the  richest  and  the  reddest  blood  of  his 
long  life  into  the  task  of  building  a bond  of  brotherhood 
around  America  and  Japan,  in  a heart  to  heart  conver- 
sation said: 

“In  my  early  years  I was  a fiery  foe  of  the  foreigner. 
When  the  American,  Commodore  Perry,  in  1853 
knocked  at  Japan’s  bolted  doors,  causing  consternation 
all  up  and  down  our  land,  although  but  a lad  of  16 
years,  I shouldered  a musket  and  marched  out  to  fight 
off  the  foreign  invader. 

“I  went  out  to  conquer,  but  returned  conquered.  The 
fine  idealism  which  America  exhibited  in  all  those  early 
relationships  with  Japan  soon  won  me.  I was  gripped 
with  a conviction  that  here  was  a nation  which  was  essen- 
tially just  and  right,  and  which  could  be  trusted.  I 
turned  from  being  an  active  foe  and  became  an  ardent 
friend,  and  for  seventy-two  long  years  I have  stood 
strong  as  a champion  of  friendly  relations  with  America. 
Early  and  late  I have  toiled  to  strengthen  the  bond 
between  that  nation  and  mine. 

“I  never  dreamt  that  America,  the  land  of  Wash- 
ington and  Lincoln,  the  land  that  through  all  its  history 
has  stood  for  justice,  equality  and  fair  play,  I never 
dreamt  that  that  nation  would  ever  pass  legislation  with 


14 


the  sting  of  racial  discrimination  in  it.  How  could  such 
a measure  have  been  passed?  It  is  the  bitterest  disap- 
pointment of  my  life.  When  I contemplate  what  the 
American  Congress  has  done  I am  tempted  to  return 
to  my  first  anti-American  feeling  of  seventy-two  years 
ago,  yet  I cannot  yield  to  such  unseemly  sentiments. 

“I  still  believe  in  the  American  people.  The  sense 
of  justice  and  fair  play  runs  in  their  blood.  Whatever 
your  Congress  may  have  done,  sooner  or  later  the  con- 
science of  the  American  people  will  assert  itself,  an 
awakening  will  come  and  the  people  of  that  great  nation 
will  make  this  thing  right. 

“The  present  legislation  takes  no  account  of  Japan’s 
point  of  view.  The  cry  of  the  Japanese  people  is  that 
it  is  a national  disgrace.  Certainly  Japan  cannot  remain 
silent  or  suffer  this  undermining  of  her  prestige  without 
a protest.  On  Japan’s  part  she  must  rectify  the  evil  of 
the  Dual  Citizenship  problem  and  also  open  the  way 
for  private  and  outright  ownership  of  land  by  foreigners 
within  her  domain.  In  fact  the  Japanese  government 
has  already  taken  steps  to  solve  these  two  questions  at 
an  early  date. 

“Personally  I want  to  urge  anew  the  appointment 
of  a Joint  High  Commission,  made  up  of  men  from 
both  nations  so  representative  that  they  shall  command 
the  confidence  of  everyone,  to  make  a full-orbed  study  of 
this  and  all  questions  now  pending  and  report  its  find- 
ings and  recommendations  to  the  proper  authorities  in 
each  nation.  This  I believe  is  the  shortest  and  safest 
road  to  a happy  and  permanent  solution  of  all  the  ques- 
tions which  are  disturbing  these  two  nations. 

“Such  a Joint  High  Commission  should  have  a per- 


is 


sonnel  representative  of  every  group  and  shade  of 
thought,  and  its  investigation  should  cover  the  whole 
field  of  American-Japanese  relations  in  the  fullest  and 
frankest  way. 

“I  do  not  believe  that  the  East  can  remain  East  or 
the  West  remain  West.  The  world  must  stand  or  fall 
together.  As  the  rays  of  the  Spring  sun  which  shine 
upon  the  vegetable  world  produce  some  flowers  that  are 
red  and  others  that  are  White  and  the  two  grow  up  to- 
gether, so  the  White  Man  and  the  Yellow  Man,  both 
sons  of  a common  Father,  must  face  the  world’s  future 
together.” 

Baron  Y.  Sakatani,  Ex-Minister  of  Finance  and 
an  influential  member  of  the  House  of  Peers,  in  an  inti- 
mate conversation  said,  regarding  the  exclusion  move: 

“Japan  in  her  long  history  has  suffered  but  one  na- 
tional disgrace.  That  was  in  1895,  at  the  close  of  the 
China-Japan  war,  when  Russia,  France  and  Germany 
— backed  by  their  fleets — forced  Japan  to  return  to 
China  the  Port  Ajrthur  Peninsula  which  had  been  ceded 
to  her  in  the  treaty  of  Shimonoseki. 

“In  the  discriminatory  legislation  passed  by  the 
American  Congress,  Japan  has  come  under  the  shadow 
of  another  national  disgrace.  That  early  blow  was  ad- 
ministered by  nations  that  often  entertain  low  interna- 
tional ideals.  This  blow  however  comes  from  America, 
the  land  of  idealism,  the  land  of  justice,  a nation  great 
and  good,  our  long-time  friend,  and  it  cuts  us  to  the 
quick. 

“To  the  lover  of  peace  this  legislation  has  deplorable 
possibilities.  It  will  add  fuel  to  the  fires  of  the  mili- 
tarists. In  the  years  yet  unborn,  ‘remember  the  exclu- 


16 


sion  law’  may  easily  become  their  rallying  cry.  Gen- 
eration may  pass  the  word  on  to  generation  and  poison 
the  will  to  outlaw  war. 

“Of  course  this  is  a question  of  American  domestic 
politics,  but  its  influence  will  reach  far  out  into  the  high- 
ways of  international  intercourse. 

“It  will  make  the  holding  of  another  World  Con- 
ference for  the  limitation  of  armament  next  to  impos- 
sible. It  makes  the  extension  of  the  treaties  of  the 
Washington  Conference  beyond  the  ten-year  period 
most  problematic.  It  will  impair  the  working  relation 
of  America  and  Japan  regarding  China.  On  the  Paciflc 
it  opens  the  way  for  friction  and  misunderstanding,  in- 
asmuch as  a healthy  accord  and  whole-hearted  friend- 
ship are  essential  to  the  smooth  working  out  of  any 
treaty  or  group  of  treaties.  It  can  easily  become  the 
breeder  of  all  sorts  of  problems  in  American  and 
Japanese  relations  to  Mexico,  Brazil  and  other  South 
American  nations. 

“If  this  thing  is  left  to  take  its  own  course,  the  world 
may  be  divided  into  two  big  camps,  the  ‘White’  and  the 
‘Colored,’  or  the  ‘Asiatics’  and  the  ‘Westerners,’  and  all 
that  we  had  hoped  for  perpetual  peace  and  world  broth- 
erhood will  be  gone  forever. 

“Personally,  I still  have  faith  in  America.  I cannot 
understand  the  attitude  of  the  Aunerican  Congress.  All 
the  Americans  whom  I know  are  of  a different  type  and 
are  true  to  that  nation’s  past  ideals.  I cannot  but  be- 
lieve that  eventually  the  American  people  will  do  the 
right  thing  in  this  important  matter.  I cannot  bring 
myself  to  believe  that  Aonerica  will  cut  the  wires,  smash 


17 


the  lights  and  shroud  the  Pacific  in  darkness.  America 
has  inflicted  the  wound.  She  alone  can  heal  it. 

“Our  loss  as  peace  workers  is  immeasurable  but  not 
irrevocable.  Let  us  fight  on  with  courage  and  with 
wisdom.” 

This  is  not  the  ranting  of  a Japanese  jingoist.  It 
is  the  sober  expression  of  one  of  Japan’s  most  thought- 
ful leaders,  an  ardent  friend  of  America,  president  of 
the  Japan  Peace  Society  and  for  many  years  a passion- 
ate advocate  of  peace. 

Dr.  J.  Soyeda,  the  holder  of  high  positions  in  Ja- 
pan’s public  life,  publicist  and  lecturer,  expressed  him- 
self in  the  following  way:  “The  action  of  the  American 
Congress  is  a bitter  disappointment.  It  is  my  earnest 
desire  that  fairness  and  justice  will  prevail  in  the  end. 
We  must  not,  however,  yield  to  discouragement.  In 
the  spirit  of  our  Japanese  proverb,  which  says  ‘The 
ground  is  made  firm  by  the  beating  of  the  rain,’  we 
must  turn  this  blow  into  a blessing.” 

Mr.  M.  Zumoto,  Ex-Member  of  Parliament,  publi- 
cist, editor  of  the  “Herald  of  Asia,”  and  one  of  the  best 
versed  men  in  Japan  regarding  things  American,  said: 

“No  single  event  in  the  long  history  of  our  inter- 
course with  America  has  shocked  and  pained  us  so  deep- 
ly as  this  unnecessary  affront  hurled  upon  us  by  the 
National  Congress  of  the  United  States.  There  have 
indeed  been  states,  notably  California,  that  have  chosen 
to  wound  our  pride  of  nationality.  The  sting  has  been 
comparatively  endurable  because  we  were  assured  by 
our  American  friends  that  the  action  of  these  states  did 
not  in  any  way  represent  the  sentiment  of  the  nation. 


18 


In  the  present  instance,  however,  the  offensive  action 
has  been  dteliberately  taken  by  the  nation’s  chosen  legis- 
lators, at  the  country’s  Capitol. 

“We  all  feel  grateful  to  the  Americans  who  regret 
this  action  on  the  part  of  their  legislative  body  as  keenly 
as  we  do,  and  who  are  not  afraid  to  say  so.  Nor  are 
we  less  appreciative  of  the  courageous  attitude  taken 
many  of  your  leading  newspapers,  and  by  your  leaders 
of  thought  and  commerce,  in  denouncing  the  Congres- 
sional action. 

“Yet  the  great  fact  stands  out,  that  behind  Congress 
are  the  great  masses  of  American  people,  who  doubtless 
approve  what  their  Congress  has  done.  The  men  of 
Congress  are  keen  politicians.  They  would  not  have 
acted  in  the  way  they  have  unless  they  were  assured  that 
their  constituency  would  approve. 

“We  are  in  fact  up  against  a great  wall  of  race  prej- 
udice, which  for  obvious  reasons  is  most  acutely  devel- 
oped among  the  American  people.  Recognizing  this 
basic  fact  of  the  situation,  we  must  be  prepared  for  a 
long  and  arduous  fight  in  getting  our  claims  finally  and 
rightly  acknowledged. 

“But  fight  we  must  and  fight  we  will,  only  the  fight 
will  not  be  with  arms  but,  let  us  hope,  always  with 
reason  and  calm  persuasion.  Whether  or  not  this  fight 
shall  degenerate  into  a passionate  outburst,  threatening 
peaceful  and  friendly  relations,  must  largely  depend 
upon  the  attitude  taken  by  the  American  people.” 

Hon.  T.  Miyaoka,  Ex-Diplomat,  International 
lawyer  and  the  special  correspondent  for  Japan  of  the 
Carnegie  Peace  Foundation,  said: 


19 


“That  the  situation  is  pregnant  with  serious  conse- 
quences there  can  be  no  doubt.  The  enactment  of  this 
law  heralds  the  entry  of  a long  period  of  chilled  rela- 
tions between  two  peoples  who  should  he  bound  together 
by  the  closest  ties  of  friendship,  not  in  the  interest  of 
themselves  alone  but  in  the  interest  of  the  smooth  con- 
tact of  the  East  and  the  West. 

“Fortunately  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  is  not 
the  final  tribunal  in  the  determination  of  public  opinion 
in  America.  Behind  the  government  of  the  United 
States  stands  the  sovereign  people.  I have  no  doubt 
that  the  present  Congress,  which  has  passed  the  objec- 
tionable clauses  in  the  Immigration  Bill,  will  not  be  sus- 
tained by  the  sovereign  people  of  America. 

“There  will  surely  arise  strong  anti-American  senti- 
ment among  the  Japanese  people  when  this  Exclusion 
Clause  becomes  a law.  Rest  assured,  however,  that  there 
will  be  a large  number  of  influential  Japanese  who  will 
refuse  to  lose  faith  in  the  sense  of  justice  or  of  ethical 
standard  of  the  American  people.  Such  Japanese  will 
be  determined  ‘to  see  this  thing  through’  no  matter  how 
long  it  may  take,  and  I am  sure  that  in  our  determina- 
tion to  have  the  wrong  righted  we  may  count  upon  the 
support  of  the  leaders  of  thought  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Pacific.” 


20 


THE  COURTS  OF  CULTURE 


ROFESSOR  M.  Anesaki^  Dean  of  the  College  of  Lit- 


JT  erature  of  the  Imperial  University,  Tokyo,  moulder 
of  public  opinion,  an  internationalist  of  the  best  type, 
expressed  himself  in  words  that  burn : “Let  us  pray  to- 
gether for  a coming  resurrection  of  crucified  justice. 
You  will,  I hope,  convince  your  people  that  the  ‘grave 
consequences’  will  be  much  worse  than  war — ^killing 
the  cause  of  Democracy  and  peace  in  Japan  and 
dealing  a severe  blow  to  all  that  the  two  nations  might 
by  joining  hands  do  for  humanity.” 

Dr.  M.  Yamada^  Dean  of  the  College  of  Law  of 
the  Imperial  University,  Tokyo,  said: 

“For  seventy  years  Japan  has  been  the  meeting  place 
for  the  East  and  the  West.  She  has  stood  as  the  inter- 
preter of  the  Occident  to  the  Orient  and  of  the  Orient 
to  the  Occident.  Upon  her  shores  two  streams  of  civi- 
lization, one  from  the  East  and  the  other  from  the  West, 
have  converged  and  been  assimilated.  In  a peculiar 
way  Japan  stands  as  the  link  between  the  Orient  and 
the  Occident.  Standing  at  the  crossroads  of  the  nations, 
as  she  does,  J apan  has  had  a world  outlook  rather  than 
an  Oriental  one. 

“This  discriminatory  legislation  will  break  up  the 
solidarity  of  the  East  and  the  West.  It  will  force  Japan 
to  abandon  her  world  outlook  and  to  carve  out  her  des- 
tiny in  the  Orient.  It  will  set  the  East  against  the  West 
and  the  West  against  the  East.  It  carries  in  its  hand 


21 


the  seed  of  a great  race  struggle.  We  regret  exceed- 
ingly that  our  friend  across  the  Pacific  should  give  occa- 
sion through  such  legislation  for  agitators  to  create  ill 
will  and  strife  between  the  races.” 

Professor  M.  Hori^  of  the  Tokyo  Commei'cial  Uni- 
versity, delivered  his  soul  in  the  following  manner: 

“Seventy  years  ago  Commodore  Perry  gave  Japan 
a political  shock,  but  that  shock  was  only  a necessary 
prelude  to  the  introduction  of  our  country  to  the  outside 
world,  and  we  are  today  most  grateful  to  America  for 
her  kindness  and  patronage  in  those  early  days.  The 
shock  which  America  has  given  us  through  her  anti- 
Japanese  Immigration  Law,  however,  is  of  a very  dif- 
ferent nature.  For  America,  which  stands  as  the  fore- 
most torch-bearer  of  civilization,  champion  of  justice, 
equality  and  humanity,  to  pass  an  act  of  this  character 
threatens  in  a serious  way  our  prestige  and  international 
position,  since  it  establishes  a precedent  for  the  rest  of 
the  world  to  follow.  The  result  will  be  that  Japan,  find- 
ing no  elbow  room  in  the  international  arena,  will  have 
to  return  to  her  former  policy  of  exclusiveism,  which 
America  herself  forced  her  to  abandon. 

“However,  we  like  to  believe  that  the  action  of  the 
American  Congress  is  only  a temporary  deviation  from 
the  noble  ideals  expressed  in  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence. We  are  convinced  that  America  is  too  honor- 
able to  discard  the  international  code  of  ethics  and  cour- 
tesy. We  pray  that  the  affair  may  vanish  like  a bad 
dream,  leaving  no  trace  behind.  We  believe  that  when 
the  light  of  justice  which  is  reflected  in  the  public  opin- 
ion of  America  shines  forth,  we  shall  find  revealed  the 
real  America,  the  America  that  we  have  always  hon- 
ored and  admired.” 


22 


THE  WORLD  OF  COMMERCE 


Dr.  T.  Dan^  President  of  the  Mitsui  Corporation, 
the  largest  corporation  in  the  Orient,  scholar  and 
captain  of  industry,  opened  his  heart,  saying: 

“I  cannot  too  strongly  express  the  disappointment  I 
feel  over  this  legislation.  Inasmuch  as  this  comes  from 
the  nation  which  we  have  hitherto  regarded  with  im- 
plicit confidence  and  trusted  as  our  friend  and  teacher, 
our  disappointment  is  naturally  more  than  ordinary. 
There  may  be  political  reasons  in  America  back  of  this 
action,  but  I feel  it  particularly  unfortunate  that  your 
legislative  body  in  Washington  chose  this  time  to  take 
this  drastic  measure — a time  when  this  country,  after 
the  unprecedented  national  calamity  for  which  your 
people  showed  such  spontaneous  and  overwhelming  sym- 
pathy, seemed  to  deserve  special  friendly  consideration 
on  the  part  of  your  legislators.  Such  practice  we  had 
understood  to  be  wholly  contradictory  to  the  true  Amer- 
ican spirit,  as  well  as  to  the  sentiment  of  our  Bushido. 

“I  cannot  attribute  the  present  law  to  any  other  cause 
than  misunderstanding  on  the  part  of  the  American 
legislators  of  the  aspiration  and  motive  which  underlie 
our  modest  and  just  request. 

“With  the  enforcement  of  the  bill  I fear  that  the 
present  friendly  and  ever  growing  commercial  relations 
between  the  two  countries  will  be  seriously  impaired. 
Under  all  circumstances  I am  convinced  that  our  people, 
though  not  without  great  pain,  will  calmly  and  with  for- 


23 


bearance  face  the  situation,  because  we  believe  that  it 
cannot  be  a final  settlement.  I shall  never  cease  to  en- 
tertain the  hope  that  when  your  legislators  come  to  see 
the  situation  in  a truer  light  they  will  reconsider  the 
matter  and  will  arrive  at  a more  fair  and  satisfaetory 
solution.” 

Mr.  M.  Kushida,  head  of  the  great  Mitsui  Bishi 
Banking  Corporation — one  of  the  greatest  concerns  in 
Japan — and  one  of  Japan’s  outstanding  industrial  lead- 
ers, spoke  in  the  following  terms: 

“The  present  attitude  of  your  Federal  legislators  is 
extremely  perplexing  to  us.  We  utterly  fail  to  recon- 
cile the  purpose  of  the  immigration  bill  with  the  sense 
of  justice  and  fairness  of  the  American  people  in  which 
we  most  confidently  believe. 

“Heretofore  we  have  been  told  and  we  have  believed 
that  the  anti- Japanese  sentiment  was  limited  to  some  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  states,  and  that  the  United  States  as  a 
whole  was  not  concerned  with  the  problem.  Your  Con- 
gress now  has  assumed  a definite  attitude  contrary  not 
only  to  our  expectations  but  apparently  also  to  the  ex- 
pectations of  your  administration.  It  has  come  to  be  a 
national  problem  with  you,  as  it  has  been  with  us  for 
some  years  past. 

“I  sincerely  hope  that  you  will  avail  yourself  of  every 
opportunity  to  tell  the  American  people  how  deeply  we 
deplore  the  fact  that  the  problem  has  come  to  assume 
such  an  acute  shape,  and  to  say  that  the  just  pride  of 
our  nation  is  being  tried  to  the  extreme. 

“Unless  the  question  is  settled  and  settled  right,  our 
belief  in  the  fundamental  principles  of  Christianity  will 
be  badly  shaken,  and  the  patient  and  worthy  work  of 


24 


those  who  have  spent  their  lives  in  this  country  for  the 
propagation  of  those  principles  will  be  completely 
undone. 

“I  trust  that  my  own  belief  in  the  American  sense 
of  justice  and  fairness  is  still  sufficiently  strong  to  assure 
me  that  whatever  the  politicians  may  do  the  people  will 
finally  assert  their  will  and  settle  the  question  justly 
and  fairly,  thus  restoring  the  happy  state  of  mutual 
confidence  and  permanent  friendship.” 


25 


CHRISTIAN  CIRCLES 


Bishop  K.  Uzaki^  forward  looking  Christian  Leader 
and  head  of  the  United  Methodist  Church  of  Ja- 
pan, said: 

“Japanese  Christians  deeply  regret  and  are  sorely 
pained  by  the  recent  anti-Japanese  legislation.  This 
law  will  vitally  affect  the  present  happy  relations  be- 
tween Japan  and  America.  From  our  point  of  view 
the  restriction  of  immigration  should  be  void  of  racial 
discrimination,  have  serious  regard  for  international 
interests  and  good  will,  and  be  in  harmony  with  the 
great  Christian  principles.” 

Dr.  K.  Ibuka,  Dean  of  one  of  the  oldest  Christian 
colleges  in  Japan,  Moderator  of  the  Japanese  Pres- 
byterian Church  and  recognized  as  a leader  of  the 
Christian  movement,  spoke  in  the  folloAving  manner: 

“The  work  of  the  recent  Washington  Conference, 
especially  the  fair  and  generous  attitude  taken  by  the 
American  Government,  produced  a profound  impres- 
sion on  the  Japanese  mind.  Jingoists  who  had  talked 
about  a coming  war  between  Japan  and  America  have 
been  compelled  to  stop  their  harangues,  because  they 
found  no  listeners.  This  happy  impression  was  greatly 
deepened  by  the  wonderfully  prompt  and  spontaneous 
sympathy  and  assistance  given  by  the  American  Gov- 
ernment and  people  at  the  time  of  the  earthquake,  but 
all  these  happy  impressions  are  in  danger  of  being 


26 


greatly  diminished,  if  not  wholly  blotted  out,  by  this 
discriminatory  immigration  bill. 

“It  may  create  anew  the  old  anti-racial  feeling  of 
the  Asiatic  people  against  America,  which  country  has 
been  generally  believed  to  be  eminently  just  and  friend- 
ly toward  these  people.  It  is  well  known  how  powerful 
and  uncontrollable  race  feeling  is  when  once  aroused. 
Distant  murmurings  are  already  audible  from  Peking, 
Canton  and  Calcutta.  There  is  a possibility  that  this 
low  muttering  may  grow  into  a desperate  cry. 

“American  missionaries  in  the  Far  East,  not  only 
in  Japan,  but  in  China  and  India  as  well,  will  experience 
a serious  handicap  in  their  work,  especially  when  they 
attempt  to  present  such  great  truths  as  the  Brother- 
hood of  Man,  Principles  of  Humanity,  International 
Justice  and  World  Friendship.” 

Dk.  H.  Kozaki,  the  father  of  Japanese  Preachers 
and  one  of  the  great  leaders  in  the  Congregational  Com- 
munion, expressed  himself  thus: 

“The  action  of  the  American  Congress  is  greatly 
hindering  the  peaceful  relations  of  the  two  nations. 
It  is  blocking  the  progress  of  Christian  work  in  our 
land.  Our  people  are  greatly  disturbed.  I pray  that 
Christ  may  lead  Christian  America  to  find  a solution 
for  this  problem  which  is  fair  and  void  of  race  prej- 
udice.” 


27 


LAY  LEADERS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


Mr.  T.  Kagawa,  the  Apostle  to  the  Poor,  and  the 
prophet  of  a new  day  in  Japan,  spoke  in  words 
that  ring  with  a challenge: 

“Let  not  the  spirit  of  Lincoln  die  out  in  America. 
His  spirit  of  liberty  and  equality,  his  spirit  of  love  and 
of  Christ,  let  it  flourish  in  your  land.  Remember  your 
forefathers!  If  pride  rules  you  today,  tomorrow  you 
may  retrace  the  steps  of  Babylon  and  Egypt.  Material 
civilization  in  itself  is  valueless.  Only  love  and  the 
spiritual  values  will  endure.  Love  your  Brothers,  Oh 
America!  Love  your  Brothers!” 

Miss  M.  Kawai,  National  Secretary  for  Japan  of 
the  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  stands  in  the  very  forefront  of  that 
nation’s  aspiring  womanhood.  Cultured,  broad-visioned, 
international-minded,  and  endowed  with  large  powers 
of  leadership,  she  looks  at  all  questions  from  a big  angle. 
This  Vassar  graduate  and  representative  of  Japan’s 
women  said  to  the  writer: 

“Every  country  has  a right  to  determine  who  shall 
enter  its  borders.  We  do  not  object  to  America  putting 
strict  limitation  on  the  number  of  our  immigrants  if 
they  are  not  acceptable.  The  thing  that  hurts  us  is  that 
we  are  discriminated  against  and  rejected  even  though 
we  possess  qualities  as  acceptable  as  those  of  other 
nations. 

“Tell  us  our  faults  fully  and  frankly,  but  do  not 


28 


allow  prejudice  and  untrained  instinct  to  rule  your 
judgment  of  us.  What  appears  to  me  most  serious  is 
that  this  issue  jeopardizes  the  very  principles  of  daily 
Christian  living.  This  universe  is  founded  on  love. 
Love  is  the  keystone  of  human  brotherhood.  This  is 
the  cry  of  the  missionaries  to  Japan.  Yet  it  seems  that 
now  a strong  nation  like  America,  consciously  or  uncon- 
sciously, would  crush  Japan  in  her  hour  of  weakness, 
not  with  physical  force  but  with  her  material  prosperity 
and  her  pride  of  race. 

“America  is  loved  and  feared,  respected  and  envied 
by  every  nation.  Her  material  wealth  appears  to  us 
the  cause  of  her  high  and  mighty  attitude  toward  other 
nations. 

“Still  I know  that  the  true  heart  of  America  is  ever 
vibrating  for  the  good  and  welfare  of  the  whole,  wide 
world.  To  this  heart  I appeal.  Place  any  restriction 
necessary  on  immigration,  but  allow  Japanese  families 
within  your  territory  to  live  peacefully  and  happily.  If 
they  are  a detriment  to  your  progress,  expel  them,  but 
be  fair  minded  and  do  not  discriminate  against  us  be- 
cause we  are  Orientals. 

“I  am  not  thinking  of  the  present  alone.  I think 
with  fear  and  trembling  of  the  future  possibility  of  this 
legislation,  forcing  an  organization  of  the  Oriental 
World  against  the  nations  of  the  Occident.  If  bitter- 
ness exists  in  any  corner  of  the  world,  it  is  our  duty 
as  Christians  to  ‘nip  it  in  the  bud.’  Today  is  the  mother 
of  tomorrow.  Now  is  the  time  to  lay  the  foundation  for 
a peaceful  internationalism,  to  instill  a proper  respect 
for  the  rights  of  other  people,  and  to  equip  ourselves 
for  world  citizenship.” 


29 


Mr.  S.  Saito^  General  Secretary  for  Japan  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  a prominent  figure  among  the  younger 
group  of  Japanese  Christian  leaders  and  a man  with  a 
world  outlook,  said: 

“First  of  all  I wish  to  express  my  sincere  gratitude 
for  the  generosity  and  friendship  of  a large  number  of 
American  friends,  who  have  assisted  in  the  building  of 
Christ’s  Kingdom  in  Japan.  Although  other  lands  are 
represented,  the  great  bulk  of  the  missionaries  to  Japan 
come  from  the  land  of  the  Stars  and  the  Stripes.  And 
this  is  the  land  that  we  always  think  of  as  the  land  of 
liberty,  the  land  of  Washington  and  of  Lincoln. 

“May  I call  your  attention  in  this  present  situation 
to  Japanese  psychology?  Our  people  are  trained  in  the 
art  of  patience.  Flowever,  there  is  a point  where  this 
patience  bursts  its  bounds  and  turns  to  resentment.  This 
resentment  will  greatly  harm  not  only  the  relations  be- 
tween America  and  Japan  but  the  Christian  movement 
in  this  land. 

“The  Japanese  recognize  that  America  is  confronted 
with  a great  immigration  problem,  and  they  would  wel- 
come any  check  that  may  seem  desirable.  This  exclu- 
sion measure,  however,  with  its  discrimination  on  racial 
grounds,  hangs  heavy  over  them  as  a disgrace. 

“This  Immigration  Bill  will  greatly  retard  the  liberal 
political  movement  in  our  land,  and  will  act  as  a set- 
back to  the  Christian  movement.  It  is  difficult  to  meas- 
ure the  extent  of  the  blow  it  has  dealt  to  Christian  work. 

“Many  of  Japan’s  young  men  have  looked  upon 
America  as  the  land  of  liberty  and  justice,  as  humanity’s 
friend,  as  the  land  from  which  they  first  heard  the  Gospel 
of  Christ.  They  will  feel  that  they  have  been  betrayed 


30 


by  their  friend.  My  sympathy  goes  out  to  the  Ameri- 
can missionaries  in  our  land,  whom  we  look  upon  and 
treat  as  our  brothers  and  with  whom  we  work  most  har- 
moniously. Their  embarrassment  is  great. 

“Most  sincerely  do  I hope  that  the  public  opinion 
of  both  countries  may  be  so  guided  that  the  relationship 
between  the  two  nations  may  not  be  impaired.  For  us 
who  are  Christians,  it  offers  an  opportunity  to  cement 
these  two  countries  together  in  the  real  spirit  of  brother- 
hood in  Jesus  Christ.” 


31 


AN  INTERPRETATION 


This  insight  into  Japan’s  heart  reveals  the  sobering 
fact  that  her  reaction  to  America’s  exclusion  move 
is  not  so  much  resentment  as  it  is  the  dire  disappoint- 
ment and  poignant  grief  that  a friend  feels  when  a 
friend  has  failed  to  play  fair.  Discrimination  against 
her  on  racial  grounds  goes  like  steel  to  her  soul. 

Moreover,  in  this  baring  of  Japan’s  heart,  there 
echoes  and  re-echoes  a hope  that  refuses  to  die,  that 
America  will  yet  sense  the  serious  situation  created  by 
this  legislation  and  right  the  wrong  which  she  has  com- 
mitted against  a friend  of  seventy  years. 

This  recital  shows  that  Japan  is  not  thinking  of  her- 
self alone.  She  is  thinking  of  America- Japan  relations 
through  the  years  yet  unborn.  She  is  looking  out  and 
considering  the  future  of  the  Pacific.  Her  vision  is 
scanning  the  future  relationship  of  the  Occident  and 
the  Orient  and  the  White  and  Yellow  races.  She 
is  thinking  of  peace  among  the  nations,  brotherhood 
among  the  races  and  the  building  of  a better  world. 

Japan  is  wondering  whether  brotherhood  is  going 
to  be  broadcast  across  this  world  of  ours,  or  whether 
race  shall  stand  against  race  and  color  against  color. 
She  is  wondering  whether  Christ  or  color  is  going  to 
rule  in  regulating  international  relations. 

This  legislation  has  in  tragic  fashion  put  Christianity 
on  trial  in  Japan.  The  racial  discrimination  in  that  legis- 
lation has  caused  multitudes  of  Japanese  to  question  the 


32 


right  of  the  Christian  faith  to  pose  as  a world  religion, 
and  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  Christian  brotherhood.  It 
has  raised  in  the  minds  of  many,  great  question  marks 
against  such  central  Christian  truths  as  a divine  F ather- 
hood,  a world  brotherhood,  justice,  fair  play  and  good 
wiU  toward  men  of  every  race.  It  has  struck  the  Chris- 
tian Movement  in  the  Japanese  Empire  a staggering 
blow,  and  plunged  the  evangels  of  the  Gospel  into  a 
dark  Gethsemane. 

There  are  eddies  in  the  stream  of  history  which  be- 
come great  onrushing  tides  and  change  the  whole  course 
of  the  world’s  life.  In  a manner  which  in  the  years  yet 
unborn  may  prove  calamitous  this  legislation  is  causing 
thoughtful  men  and  women  all  over  Japan  and  all  up 
and  down  the  Orient  to  wonder  if  the  hour  has  struck 
when  the  Yellow  race  must  organize  itself  under  a 
Yellow  flag  and  fight  for  its  place  in  the  sun.  Deep 
down  in  their  hearts  they  are  asking  if  this  is  the  White 
man’s  challenge. 

Through  this  Exclusion  Act  the  Liberal  Movement 
in  Japan  has  suffered  a stunning  setback.  This  move- 
ment, which  stands  for  the  ideals  of  democracy,  the 
rights  of  the  people  in  domestic  politics,  against  mili- 
tarism and  for  peace  and  brotherhood  in  world  relations, 
had  gathered  such  momentum  that  it  was  a mighty  fac- 
tor in  setting  the  ideals,  moulding  the  thought  and  deter- 
mining the  direction  of  the  nation’s  life.  It  looked 
largely  to  America  for  its  ideals  and  for  inspiration. 
Through  this  legislation  America  has  discredited  and 
disheartened  the  leaders  of  this  movement,  handicapped 
their  progress  and  added  new  fuel  to  the  dying  fires 
of  the  reactionaries,  the  militarists  and  the  ultra  na- 
tionalists. 


33 


FACING  THE  FUTURE 


Abraham  Lincoln,  with  the  vision  of  a seer  and 
k.  the  voice  of  a prophet,  in  one  of  America’s  high 
hours,  declared  that  “Nothing  is  settled  until  it  is 
settled  right.”  Is  America’s  immigration  policy  with 
Japan  settled  right?  Is  exclusion  the  last  word  to  be 
spoken  on  this  perplexing  problem?  Are  we  satisfied 
to  leave  American- Japanese  relations  in  the  present 
troubled  and  tangled  state? 

There  are,  one  has  reason  to  believe,  millions  of 
Americans  who  demand  a genuine  rectification  of  the 
situation.  The  main  principles  are  not  difficult  to  out- 
line. They  involve  two  steps: 

First:  the  inclusion  of  Japan  in  the  general  quota 
law.  Even  if  the  quotas  for  all  nations  were  trebled,  the 
number  of  admissible  Japanese  would  still  be  negligible. 

Second  : amendment  by  Congress  of  the  law  of  natu- 
ralization, so  as  to  grant  privileges  of  naturalization  to 
all  who  personally  qualify,  regardless  of  race.  With  the 
strict  limitation  of  immigration  the  number  who  could 
become  citizens  would  also  be  negligible.  By  these  two 
measures  those  elements  of  our  laws  which  discriminate 
between  races  would  be  removed. 

The  “National  Committee  on  American- Japanese 
Relations,”  composed  of  a large  group  of  outstanding 
Americans,  answers  these  questions  with  a ringing  nega- 
tive. It  has  adopted  the  following  planks  as  a part  of 
its  program: 


34 


a.  To  cultivate  in  regard  to  Japan  an  informed  and 
rational  public  opinion,  inspired  by  a friendly 
spirit  and  a sympathetic  understanding  of  her 
needs,  problems  and  aspirations. 

b.  To  advocate  a square  deal  and  impartial  treat- 
ment for  Japanese  in  the  United  States. 

c.  To  urge  the  enactment  of  adequate  F ederal  legis- 
lation for  the  protection  of  aliens  and  for  the  en- 
forcement of  their  treaty  rights  as  urged  by 
Presidents  Harrison,  McKinley,  Roosevelt  and 
Taft. 

d.  To  urge  that,  after  July  1,  1927,  Japanese  be 
included  in  the  quota  provisions  of  the  new  Immi- 
gration Law,  thus  laying  the  basis  for  right  rela- 
tions between  the  two  countries. 

This  last  plank  looks  forward  to  1927  when,  under 
the  provisions  of  the  new  Immigration  Law,  the  perma- 
nent quotas  are  to  be  fixed  for  each  nation.  This  Com- 
mittee hopes  that  an  enlightened  and  awakened  Ameri- 
can conscience  will  at  that  time  rescind  the  Exclusion 
Clause,  grant  equal  treatment  to  Japan  by  giving  her 
a quota — 146  would  be  the  number  annually  admissible 
— and  heal  the  gaping  wound  which  America  has  in- 
flicted in  Japan’s  heart. 

The  next  move  belongs  to  the  American  people. 
Congress  is  their  servant,  not  their  sovereign.  If  its 
action  on  this  momentous  issue  does  not  represent  the 
heart,  the  highest  ideals  and  the  genius  of  the  nation  let 
the  people  say  so.  Let  Congress  receive  a clear,  compel- 
ling mandate  from  its  constituency  to  rescind  this  action. 
Raise  your  individual  voice  in  protest.  Communicate 


35 


with  the  Congressman  from  your  local  district.  Influ- 
ence groups  and  organizations  with  which  you  are  con- 
nected to  do  the  same.  Let  there  be  such  a concert  of 
action  on  the  part  of  the  sovereign  people  of  this  land 
that  its  legislative  body  shall  not  fail  to  see  the  issue 
from  a truer  and  higher  angle  and  shall  hasten  to  right 
this  grievous  wrong. 

Japan  is  no  longer  on  the  outskirts  of  civilization. 
For  300  years  the  countries  washed  by  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  formed  the  stage  on  which  the  world’s  drama  was 
played.  Gradually  there  has  been  a shifting  of  the 
scenes,  with  the  result  that  today  the  shores  swept  by 
the  Pacific  are  beginning  to  be  the  area  where  world- 
interests  and  world-activity  are  focused.  At  the  heart 
of  this  new  world-center  stands  Japan,  virile,  vigorous 
and  forward-moving.  She  is  the  key  to  the  situation 
in  the  Orient.  To  a large  degree,  as  goes  Japan  so 
goes  the  Orient. 

America  and  this  key-nation  of  the  Orient  hold  the 
destiny  of  more  than  half  of  the  world  in  their  hands. 
Ambassador  Hanihara  was  soft  pedaling  when  he  spoke 
of  “grave  consequences”  coming  out  of  this  Exclusion 
Legislation.  He  was  not  thinking  of  an  American- 
Japanese  war.  He  was  thinking  of  something  a thou- 
sand times  worse  than  that,  terrible  and  unthinkable  as 
such  a war  would  be.  He  was  thinking  of  America  and 
Japan,  appointed,  under  God,  to  link  the  East  with  the 
West  and  the  West  with  the  East,  appointed  the  guard- 
ians of  the  Peace  of  the  Pacific,  appointed  to  outlaw 
war  from  this  vast  stretch  of  the  world’s  area.  He  saw 
these  two  nations,  thus  commissioned,  occupied  with  pet- 
ty politics,  tragically  failing  to  understand  each  other, 
estranged  and  utterly  unable  to  fulfill  their  God-given 
mission. 


) 


